Qualcomm has the most valuable IoT patent portfolio

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Qualcomm holds the most IoT-related patents right now, and those patents have a very high value, according to a new study by LexInnova, which provides research and consulting on patent law.

The study found that Qualcomm holds 724 IoT-related patents, just ahead of Intel’s 688.Chinese networking provider ZTE, which came in third place, only has 351 IoT patents.

However, Qualcomm has 157 high-value patents related to IoT technologies, far more than any other company, according to LexInnova’s analysis. LG had the second most high-value patents, with 63, followed by Microsoft’s 50. LexInnova judges the value of different patents based on how likely they are to be litigated at some point, since patents that aren’t very valuable will likely never be infringed on.

For IoT-related patents, those that pertain to collecting and transmitting data from IoT devices are the most valuable, according to LexInnova’s analysis. Qualcomm holds a number of patents in this area for collecting and transmitting data from connected medical devices and other IoT device categories. The technologies that Qualcomm has patented in this area are used in its chipsets for connecting IoT devices to the internet over different types of networks.

Qualcomm's business is still heavily reliant on its chipset sales for smartphones. However, global smartphone sales are slowing, and Qualcomm can diversify its chip business by building up its IoT business, which made more than $1 billion in revenues last year, the company reported. For right now, technology suppliers including Qualcomm and Intel are working together to further develop IoT technologies like interoperability standards because the sector is so nascent. Once the IoT market is more mature, we may see more litigation between these companies over their respective patents.

That maturity is coming as the IoT revolution picks up speed and when it does, it will change how we live, work, travel, entertain, and more.

From connected homes and connected cars to smart buildings and transportation, every aspect of our lives will be affected by the increasing ability of consumers, businesses, and governments to connect to and control everything around them.

Imagine “smart mirrors” that allow you to digitally try on clothes. Assembly line sensors that can detect even the smallest decrease in efficiency and determine when crucial equipment needs to be repaired or replaced. GPS-guided agricultural equipment that can plant, fertilize, and harvest crops. Fitness trackers that allow users to transmit data to their doctors.

It’s not science fiction. This “next Industrial Revolution” is happening as we speak. It’s so big that it could mean new revenue streams for your company and new opportunities for you. The only question is: Are you fully up to speed on the IoT?

After months of researching and reporting this exploding trend, John Greenough and Jonathan Camhi of BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, have put together an essential report on the IoT that explains the exciting present and the fascinating future of the Internet of Things. It covers how the IoT is being implemented today, where the new sources of opportunity will be tomorrow and how 16 separate sectors of the economy will be transformed over the next 20 years.

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The report gives a thorough outlook on the future of the Internet of Things, including the following big picture insights:

IoT devices connected to the Internet will more than triple by 2020, from 10 billion to 34 billion. IoT devices will account for 24 billion, while traditional computing devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.) will comprise 10 billion.

Nearly $6 trillion will be spent on IoT solutions over the next five years.

Businesses will be the top adopter of IoT solutions because they will use IoT to 1) lower operating costs; 2) increase productivity; and 3) expand to new markets or develop new product offerings.

Governments will be the second-largest adopters, while consumers will be the group least transformed by the IoT.

And when you dig deep into the report, you’ll get the whole story in a clear, no-nonsense presentation:

The complex infrastructure of the Internet of Things distilled into a single ecosystem

The important role analytics systems, including edge analytics, cloud analytics, will play in making the most of IoT investments

The sizable security challenges presented by the IoT and how they can be overcome

The four powerful forces driving IoT innovation, plus the four difficult market barriers to IoT adoption

Complete analysis of the likely future investment in the critical IoT infrastructure: connectivity, security, data storage, system integration, device hardware, and application development

In-depth analysis of how the IoT ecosystem will change and disrupt 16 different industries

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